Domaine Breton

Located around Bourgueil, the domain converted to organic viculture in 1990, after meeting Jules Chauvet, the high priest of organic wines in the Beaujolais region. Labelled “Ecocert” in 1994, the Bretons are members of the “Association..

Located around Bourgueil, the domain converted to organic viculture in 1990, after meeting Jules Chauvet, the high priest of organic wines in the Beaujolais region. Labelled “Ecocert” in 1994, the Bretons are members of the “Association des vins naturel” ( translating as Organic Wine Association) and followers of the “Charte de la renaissance des A.O.C., what else to prove how committed they are to the cause of terroir-driven wines fully respecting the environment. Their wines- in the easy-drinking style or those for expert drinkers- are made solely from Cabernet Franc for the reds and Chenin for the whites. --- Catherine takes special care of the latter and she is particularly proud of her own cuvees. 70,000 bottles are produced every year with10 wines coming from vineyard plots on clay-limestone soils and clay-chalk topsoil.The soils are enriched with organic compost and are plowed and hoed too. The vineyard gives low yields at around 40hl/ha. The vines are looked after by spraying vegetal and mineral preparations. The hand-picked grapes are de-stemmed and gently taken to the press-house. No yeasts nor any sulphur are resorted to in order to start the fermentation process.--- The wines are matured from 12 to 18 months either in stainless steel tanks or in sawn-off cone-shaped barrels depending on the cuvees. Pierre Breton’s expertise fully expresses itself through such ancestral practices which have great respect for lively wines and his work epitomizes Rabelais ‘s spirit, so typical of Val de Loire !